Farm-fence



NlTED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ALBERT EVER, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN.

FARM-FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 326,902, dated September 22, 1885.

Application filed Juno 8, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT Ewnraa citizen of the United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Farm-Fences, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that class of farmfences which consist of independent lengths, or gate-sections, so called, from the facility with which they enable the farmer to pass from one field to another at any point, as by a gate, these sections forming, when in place and locked together, one continuous fence.

The objects sought by the use of my present improvement are, first, to provide a neatlyappearing, light, cheap, and substantial portable fence that can be rapidly constructed and quickly placed in position or moved from place to place wherever wanted by the ordinary farm help, and at the same time afford all the advantages without incurring the disadvantages of a permanent fence having immovable posts; second, to so combine the horizontal wooden rails or bars with wires and vertical posts as to offer the least possible surface or area to the action of the sweeping wind-storms that have proved so destructive to all kinds of practical portable fences hitherto used; and, further, securing these ends with the least possible expenditure or cost in time and material used.

Other incidental advantages accrue from the use of this novel improvement, which will become obvious from inspection of the drawings, wherein like letters of reference refer to like parts of the fence in each of the figures, of which- Figure 1 represents a front view, and Fig. 2 a plan view, of my new fence with one length or section complete, and a portion of another section, showing the manner of locking the same together and fixing the fence in position. Fig. 3 shows the coupling-block detached, and Fig. 4 represents a vertical cross'section through the ends posts and battens.

A A A represent the lower horizontal bars, which may be of any suitable dimensions and number, so that they do not greatly exceed one-half the altitude of the fence, which it is (No model.)

essential in this invention to place below and the wire strand part above or at top.

BB B represent the vertical posts, of suitable width, and length equal to the height of the fence. B B are the battens, which, when firmly nailed to the posts and to the horizontal bars in the usual manner, form the simplest construction of the wooden part of an independent section or length. The battens B are cut shorter than the posts and each a little more than the vertical width of the lock-coupling above the top of the uppermost horizontal bar B. Preferably three wooden bars are employed, andtwo Wire strands, A A, at top; but any other arrangement and number may be used so long as all the wooden bars are at the bottom part of the fence and the wire strands above. When greater strength is desired, oblique braces 00 00 may be added, as shown, Fig. 1.

O 0 represent the lockcouplings provided with central opening, d, (clearly shown in Fig. 3,) through which the closely-fitting iron end driven firmly into the ground, as shown. The ends of these blocks 0 are cut away to a shoulder, leaving a portion in the central part thereof of any suitable length to give room between the posts for the stake D, as shown in Fig. 1. Two only of these lock-couplings need be used to firmly fix two independent lengths together, and these are placed, preferably, one above the top horizontal bar and the other coupling between the lower bars, the rabbeted ends of the couplings passing between the posts and battens, as shown.

It is obvious that the foregoing arrangement of the parts specified, while closely confining the independent lengths or fencesections laterally, yet allows a free movement up and down at their ends, by which means the fence conforms readily to the undulating ground surface; also, that by thus placing the greater area on which the winds can act below, and the wire strands above, only a very light staking is rendered necessary. At the same time the fence becomes plainly visible to the roaming animals, and all danger of their pushing on the fence is obviated by the presence of the cutting wire strands, whenever they come in contact therewith.

rod or vertical stake D passes, with its lower Placing length after length in position, the stakes being driven as the Work progresses, a very large amount of straight, handsome-appearing, and substantial fence can be made or drive-stakes D, the adjacent panels receiving the rabbeted ends of said couplings in the 15 spaces between the end battens, B B, and the rails A, secured at intervals between said battens, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of 20 two witnesses.

ALBERT EWER.

Witnesses:

FRANK G. REYNOLDS, FRANK W. OLAPP. 

